People with disabilities (PWDs) are the most deprived and neglected group of our society. The time has come to wipe away their tears by taking a united stand for the implementation of the rights granted to them by legislature. We should endeavor to mitigate their pains and sufferings through creation of friendly atmosphere for them to excel in life.
This was stated by PML-N MNA Khalida Mansoor during a presentation held to highlight the numerous problems faced by the disabled. The presentation arranged by Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM), a local NGO, was mainly focused on the hurdles faced by the disabled in their bid to get disability concession cards to benefit from government schemes.
MNA Khalida Mansoor promised to address the disability issues on the floor of the parliament by tabling a bill for the rights of the disabled. She also pledged that she would raise in the National Assembly the issue for the increase of existing two per cent job quota reserved for the disabled in the government sector.
The presentation titled “Registration process for People with disabilities– Hurdles and required measures” was conducted by AWAM Executive Secretary Nasim Anthony and Programme Coordinator Shazia George. AWAM officials highlighted the different issues and concerns of people with disabilities and emphasised the need to bridge the gap between government machinery and civil society for protecting and promoting rights of People with disabilities.
AWAM Chairperson Nazia Sardar, District Social Welfare Officer Sarfraz Ahmed, DHQ Hospital AMS Dr Captain Muhammad Akram, MSO Social Welfare Dr Zahida Naz, Labour Department Manager Akhtar Aziz, NADRA Supervisor Malik Tahir, ex-MNA George Clement, Director, Association for Sustained Development-Pakistan Ms Amina Zaman and Qadeer Sikandar shared their views for alleviating the problems of PWDs. The participants of the consultation session, through a lengthy discussion, agreed in principle to cut short the processing period for the issuance of disability concessions cards that normally takes 4-6 months.
It was decided that the registration process should be integrated into a one-window operation at the DHQ hospital with the coordination of all government stakeholders, including social welfare, labour and health departments. Hence, the Labour Department was asked to depute one staff member at the DHQ hospital on permanent basis for ensuring friendly disability registration process. It was also recommended that at the end of the procedure a disability certificate should be issued not later than one week.
It was also decided that the certificates must be sent to the applicants through postal services at their home address. AWAM officials requested the government agencies to computerize their data to avoid duplication. It was also recommended that a guideline in Urdu must be attached with the form in English for the convenience of the applicants.
Man ends life after killing wife: A newly married young man committed suicide after shooting his wife dead at the house of his in-laws. Reportedly, Nadeem, a resident of Samundary Road, Faisalabad, married Nazia, a resident of Chak No 535-GB, two months back.
A few days back, Nazia went to see her parents in her native village. Later, Nadeem went to his in-laws’ house, took his wife to the fields on the pretext of a walk, killed her with a pistol and then committed suicide.
TEENAGER COMMITS SUICIDE: A 15-year-old boy shot himself in head with a pistol after quarrelling with his parents. Reportedly, Waqas Ahmed, a resident of Chak No 367 GB, shot himself in his head after a dispute with his parents in the jurisdiction of Lundianwala Police Station. The police took the body for postmortem and started investigation.
